In His Arms
by BraverStrongerSmarter
Summary: A reunion between a Hufflepuff boy who was on the run, and a Ravenclaw who just wanted him to come home.


I wrote this one-shot for **ash-luvgirl02's** "I Will Be" Fluff Competition. I'm not so sure how I feel about it though. I had issues fitting the song line in well, so I ended up having to split it. Everything else I tried just sounded awkward. Additionally, I've never written Justin before, and I don't know much about his character. Anyways...please take the time to review and tell me that this isn't as bad as I think it is. Or confirm my feelings and say it is. Either way works for me.

"Still you never said goodbye and now I know"

Disclaimer: I don't own HP or the song. I'm nowhere near that talented.

* * *

"_I think you're brilliant."_

"_Of course. You're smart, and funny, and really pretty."_

"_I think I kind of like you, Sue. As more than just a friend."_

"_Don't be silly, Sue. You're my girlfriend. I would never leave you alone while you were upset or scared unless you wanted me to."_

"_You're so cute. Sometimes I can hardly stand it."_

"_I'm so glad you almost flew into me during quidditch tryouts. I'm so glad we met."_

"_You make me so happy, Sue."_

"_I love you, Sue. More than I've ever loved anyone before."_

Sue Li dug her spoon deeper into the mint chocolate chip ice cream container in her lap and continued to stare at the tv screen with unseeing eyes. She was a mess, and had been for a long time.

Just physically, she looked atrocious. Her short silky black hair was knotted and sticking out in various places, she was wearing a wrinkled t-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts. Her eyes were red and puffy and she wasn't wearing an ounce of makeup.

But Sue was even worse off emotionally. The Battle of Hogwarts had occurred only three nights ago, and after taking care of all the deceased, the students were permitted to go home to their families. Sue had been much luckier than others – she hadn't lost any of her family. She and her mother and father were all still together.

However, just because her parents hadn't died, didn't mean she hadn't suffered. In a way, the eighteen-year-old envied the families who had lost members in the war. She envied the fact that they _knew_ when she didn't.

Justin. She hadn't heard from him in almost a year now. The last time she had seen him was the last day of the term during their sixth year. The two had ridden the Hogwarts Express back to Kings Cross together. She had bid him goodbye, with a light kiss on the lips. He had smiled at her adoringly. And then she had never heard from him again.

Sue let out another sob and buried her head in her hands. She cursed the tears that fell from her eyes. She was tired of crying. Crying wouldn't give her answers to the questions she most desperately wanted – needed – to hear. But she couldn't seem to muster enough strength to do anything else.

A loud rapping on the door jarred Sue from her thoughts. Sighing, the girl got up from the couch, turned the tv off, and went to see who it was.

Her heart stopped when she saw who was there.

Justin, _her_ Justin, was standing before her. A few smudges of dirt on his clothes and face, but still very much alive.

"Sue," he breathed, all the love and affection shining in his eyes, just as she had remembered him. "Sue, I'm so sorry."

Before he could utter another word, she was in his arms. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was shaking uncontrollably. Justin held her tighter to his chest as she buried her face in his jacket, the achingly familiar smell entering her dainty nose once again. He was real. He was alive.

"**You never said goodbye**," she whispered, still unwilling to let him go. She feared if she did, he would vanish again, like the ghost she was sure he must be.

"I didn't mean to, Sue," he choked. "I never wanted to. I just – "

She pulled back, her arms still around him, and kissed him lightly, savoring the taste of his mouth on hers. How she had missed this. "I know," she murmured, her eyes shining. "At the beginning, I felt betrayed and lost and hurt. But **now I know**. You were trying to protect me. You were a muggleborn. You were in danger, and if we had stayed together, or if they had any idea that we were together, I would have been in danger too."

Justin sighed. "How long have you known?"

Sue smiled hesitantly. "Since Christmastime. I've just been waiting for you to come home."

Justin smiled and leaned in to kiss Sue again. Her heart fluttered in her chest as her eyes drifted shut. She could stay in his arms forever. She felt so safe with him. With Justin, Sue wasn't just the braniac Ravenclaw. She was beautiful, and special, and loved. She was his treasure.

"I had hoped you would figure me out, you brilliant, brilliant girl," Justin breathed. Sue smiled, and leaned in for one more kiss before ushering the boy inside.

"Do you need anything to drink, or eat?" she asked worriedly. "You must be famished. Sit down on the couch and I'll get you something. Oh, and if you want a blanket or a change of clothes, you know where everything is, so go for it. I can also get the medicine kit out if you're injured."

"Sue, calm down," Justin said, taking her hand in his and leading the both of them to the couch. "I'm fine. I just want to sit and hold you for a while. I've missed you so much."

Sue smiled and snuggled up under his arm. As a Ravenclaw, she was normally very good with expressing, with the correct vocabulary, just what she wanted to say. But in that moment, Sue couldn't even begin to describe what she was feeling. So, instead, she was content to stay there, just listening to the sound of Justin breathing.

The boy pulled back from her slowly and gazed into her dark brown, almost black eyes. "Sue," he began, a blush creeping up on his face. "I know we've been apart for almost a year. But I want you know that I still love you just as much as I did before. More so, even. You are the most beautiful, wonderful, intelligent girl I have ever met."

Sue frowned slightly as he removed his arm from around her. Was he leaving already? He glanced down at the ground, but not quick enough for Sue to miss the glint of worry. What was he worried about? He wasn't breaking up with her, was he? She didn't know if she would be able to handle that, not after she just got him back.

And then he dropped on one knee, a small box in his right hand.

"I know we're only eighteen, and a war has just ended, and everyone's lives are in shambles, and neither of us have jobs. So this isn't an engagement ring, yet. I know we're not ready for that." He opened the box, and inside was a small silver ring with two small hearts – one blue and one yellow. Sue gasped. It was beautiful. She couldn't believe this was happening.

"Sue, I promise to love you, treasure you, adore you, for the rest of my life. I promise to give my heart to you, because somewhere along the way, you stole it right out from under me. And I promise, that someday, when we're both ready, I will properly ask you to be my wife. But for now, I promise that I will be forever yours."

Sue couldn't see past the tears in her eyes, but she could feel her head nodding. "Yes," she sobbed, launching herself into his arms for the second time that night. As he slipped the ring on her finger, Sue kissed him fully on the mouth, all the passion and excitement they were both feeling flowing between them.

When they pulled apart, both teenagers glanced down at the ring adorning the small girl's finger, then turned to smile brightly at each other.

It was a perfect fit.

Fin.


End file.
